Tips for Christmas Tree Disposal
The end of the holidays always brings a plethora of clean up and tidying. Ornaments, decorations, used wrapping paper, bags, bows, ribbons, and trees – everything gets cleaned up after the New Year. Christmas tree disposal can be a hassle, but here are a few tips to make disposing of your tree a bit easier.
Getting your Christmas tree ready for disposal
Try to remember to dispose of your tree before it dries out completely. Letting it do so increases the amount of needles that will drop, and it also causes a higher risk of fire. When you’re ready to prep your tree for disposal, remove all ornaments and lights from the tree. Remove the tree from your tree stand, and have a bucket or container nearby to dispose of any excess water in the stand.
Use a large tree cover or plastic bag to cover the tree before you carry it out of the house. This helps prevent needles, bark and sap from making a mess on your carpet or wood flooring.
When you clean up the area around the tree, try using a broom and dustpan for any pine needles as opposed to vacuuming. The needles can clog up or damage your vacuum.
Check for water damage underneath the tree stand. Over watering can sometimes cause overflow and lead to damage underneath the stand.
Christmas Tree Recycling
More and more communities and neighborhoods are offering a curbside pickup of your Christmas tree after the holidays are over. Your local county waste management department will have information on the services available to you.
If there is a curbside pick up, it’s a good idea to ensure that all decorations are off of the tree. Also, cutting the tree into three or four pieces will aid with the recycling/disposal process.
Your local recycling center may have tree drop off options for you as well.
If you have a garden, recycling centers often offer tree mulching. The mulch can be used for a variety of uses around your community, including shoreline management or bedding for playgrounds and city parks.
Used Christmas trees can also be recycled in other eco-friendly ways. Do you have a pond or lake? Sink your tree or pieces of your tree into the water as a refuge and feed area for fish. You can also have it mulched and use it in your garden, or dispose of the tree in the woods to create a hiding place for rabbits and squirrels.
These are just a few ways to recycle and reuse your tree. If you plan in advance, you can also purchase a rooted tree; then after the holidays, simply replant it in your own garden!